RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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HARRISON, NJ - JULY 30: Timur Tutierov #57 of Sunderland AFC during the game against Leeds United FC on July 30, 2026 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ben McKevitt says…
The obvious answer is Chris Rigg and it’s the answer I’m going to echo here.
Honestly, I had some doubts over Rigg for the first two thirds of the last season. It looked like the jump to the Premier League was (understandably) perhaps a bit too big for him at such a young age and a loan began to emerge as a good option for him.
Since then, he’s made huge strides in his performance levels with amazing frequency and now looks just as capable as he was in the Championship, but at the top level.
His pre-season contributions have been excellent and while I’m eagerly anticipating an exciting new right winger coming into the squad, I’d be more than happy to start Rigg there against Ipswich and beyond, even just as a means of getting him into the starting eleven.
His potential is unmatched in the squad and I believe that this will be his breakout season.
Dean McDonald says…
As much as Chris Rigg is the obvious choice with him already being in the first team. I’m going to go for Timur Tutierov.
He’s had a very good pre-season and didn’t look out of place at all against strong opposition in the USA. I can see him getting minutes here and there at the start of the season and I think he has the ability to do something with limited game time.
By the end of the season, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him getting regular minutes in all competitions and hopefully getting into conversations for the Ukraine national team as well.
John Wilson says…
My choice would be Nilson Angulo.
If his confidence continues to grow and he continues to take defenders on — either by cutting inside or going to the byline (as we saw many times during the World Cup) — he could be an exciting threat for us this season.
I’m looking forward to seeing this talented youngster develop and mature.
Lewis Forbister says…
I’ll go with Tom Proctor.
He’s had a cracking pre-season and will more than likely feature for Sunderland at some capacity during the upcoming campaign.
Whether that’s in the cups or Europe remains to be seen but I can’t see him getting much playing time in the league due to the quality we have in his position. Don’t get me wrong: he looks like a fantastic young prospect but at this moment in time, he can’t compete with the likes of Granit Xhaka or Noah Sadiki for that holding midfield berth.
You could also say Chris Rigg. He appeared twenty times for the Lads last season, looked promising in every game and I feel like he’ll have a breakout campaign in 2026/2027.
The nineteen-year-old midfielder already has the confidence of his first Premier League goal, so who’s to say he won’t score more next season and become option for that coveted right wing spot?
Michael Dunne says…
It’s hard for me to look past Chris Rigg.
Whilst Rigg is a player that’s been around the first team set up for quite a number of years now, I feel we’ll get to see more of his quality in the Premier League this season in comparison to last.
This isn’t suggestion that he had a poor season last year but after a year of adjusting to the league and finding his feet, he’ll surely see no reason why he can’t kick on and become a mainstay in the team.
I felt that in the second half of the season, he began to show more and more of his quality in games and that can only be an exciting thing for fans as we hopefully get to see far more of that this season.
Owen Sara says…
It’s hard to look past Noah Sadiki.
As the saying goes, “Seventy percent of the earth is covered in water and the rest is covered by Noah Sadiki”, and with so many games to come, his running power and energy will be key for us this season.
He isn’t the most technically gifted but he’s probably our most important player with what he brings to the team.
Buoyed by a cracking World Cup campaign too, he’s definitely one to watch next season.
Ricky Clucas says…
It’s a strange time for Sunderland supporters when it comes to youngsters.
Traditionally, the kind of lads and ages you’d be looking to break into the first team this season are already regular starters and established players. With that in mind, I’ll go with Tom Proctor.
He’s looked a lovely player from the bits I’ve seen and I’d love to see him involved in some capacity with the first team this season with the additional workload the squad will have.
If we’re to stay on this upward trajectory as well as meeting squad requirements for a variety of competitions, then we have to maintain a clear pathway to the first team for these lads.
Tom Albrighton says…
Chris Rigg will be the name on everyone’s lips, and for good reason.
Already a regular and growing both metaphorically and physically in stature, it’s hard not to see Rigg standing out this season. With more games to strut his stuff as well as a good season’s development behind him, I can really see him kicking on.
In the spirit of the pre-season prediction, I’m happy enough to go as far as saying Rigg at least may even force himself into the conversations for Englands future midfield options for the next World Cup.
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